Austria issues red heat warning, raises wildfire alert in east

Austria has issued its highest heat warning for large parts of the country as temperatures are expected to approach 40C (104F) over the weekend, with authorities also warning of an elevated wildfire risk in eastern regions.

GeoSphere Austria, the country's national weather service, issued a red heat warning for Saturday through Monday across northeastern Austria, including Vienna, parts of Lower Austria and Burgenland, saying the ongoing heat wave is nearing its peak.

The weather agency said the national temperature record of 40.5C (104.9F), set in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in 2013, could be broken on Sunday.

Red warnings were also issued for parts of Upper Austria on Saturday and Sunday, while the southern cities of Graz, Klagenfurt and Villach are expected to reach the highest warning level on Sunday.

GeoSphere Austria said one of the main reasons for issuing the highest alert was the lack of nighttime cooling, with minimum temperatures forecast to remain between 24C and 27C in many urban areas.

“The Eastern Alps region is under the influence of a powerful high-pressure system, and subtropical air masses are dominating the weather,” said Andreas Schaffhauser, scientific director general of GeoSphere Austria.

“Due to the ongoing heat stress since last Friday and a further predicted temperature increase, a red temperature warning will be issued from Saturday,” he added.

The agency urged residents to avoid direct sunlight, stay indoors during the hottest hours of the day, wear light clothing, drink at least two to three liters of fluids daily, and avoid alcohol.

Meanwhile, authorities warned of an increased wildfire risk in eastern Lower Austria.

The Vienna region and Marchfeld were classified as particularly high-risk areas, while wildfire regulations have been put into effect across all districts of Lower Austria.

Fire service official Dietmar Fahrafellner told public broadcaster ORF that around 600 emergency personnel are on standby around the clock to respond to potential wildfires.